Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Disrespectful Since 1935

The Iranians are all angry that they noticed that our Navy calls the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf:

The name change provoked outrage from the easily provoked government of Iran[.]

It makes some sense given our basing in Bahrain and other areas around the Gulf region in Arab countries.

Iran's anger is kind of funny, though. They started using the name "Iran" for themselves about 1500 years ago and they haven't been know to the rest of the world as Persia since 1935. Why the Iranian determination to insult Persians by abandoning the proud name?

Although it would help if the writer of the article didn't say that this isn't the first time we've angered parts of the Arab world with word choice. Iran is not Arab. It is Persian. Hence the agitation--however ridiculous it is.